Chapter 14
Lorenzo
“I’m sorry, Mr. Russo. I can assure you that Mrs. Frederick has been removed from our agency, but unfortunately, we don’t have another nanny who fits your criteria. We are severely short-staffed, and nannies are in high demand.”
I sigh into the phone. “Okay, just let me know once one becomes available again, please.”
I hang up and stare down at my laptop screen. It’s frozen in place where Vanessa grabbed Leo from his high chair and told off the shitty nanny.
When I watched it and saw her smack my son’s hand, I damn near saw red. But then watching Vanessa defend my son, the way she held him, ensuring he was protected, had me feeling shit I had no right to feel.
I glance down at my wedding band and roll it around my finger.
If the circumstances were different, if Vanessa wasn’t fifteen years my junior, if she hadn’t drugged me …
I could see myself with her. And that’s why when she offered to nanny for Leo, I said no.
Because I can’t let her infiltrate herself into our life any more than she already has.
Her living in my home, us being married—it’s temporary. And Leo has already grown attached to her.
I saw it in the way he clung to her. She told me everything was fine, but the truth is, when I watched a playback of the video, he didn’t want my sister.
He wanted Vanessa. And I can’t blame him.
She’s beautiful and sweet and soft, and she might not be ready to be a mom, but she’s so damn nurturing. If I were him, I’d cling to her too.
“Fuck.” I click out of the video and run my fingers through my hair in frustration.
I’ve been trying like hell to avoid Vanessa, but the woman is everywhere.
“Mr. Russo,” my assistant says, popping her head into my office. “Matteo Antonov is here to see you.”
“Send him in, please.”
Matteo strolls through the doorway and drops into the visitor seat.
“You look like shit,” he says, never one to mince words.
“Thanks.”
He chuckles. “Dani told me what happened with the nanny.”
“Yeah. I sent a recording of it to the agency and had her fired.”
“Good.”
My phone dings with an alert, letting me know that someone is either entering or leaving my condo, and since my sister and her friends all left a while ago, I click on it to make sure Vanessa is okay. I catch her out in the hall with a guard, heading to the elevator.
“Everything good?” Matteo asks.
“Vanessa’s leaving.”
“Oh yeah. Dominick told me she has an interview with Franco at the casino.”
My head whips up to look at him. “What the fuck are you talking about?” I ask, my tone harsher than intended.
“I guess she needs money for school, and Peyton convinced my brother to let her interview for a server position. They’re short-staffed.” He shrugs.
“Is that safe?”
Matteo’s brows furrow in confusion. “You know Dominick keeps that place on lockdown.”
I’m about to argue when my phone rings with a call from Dani.
“Hey, is Leo okay?”
“Yes, he’s a sweet little angel,” my sister says. “I was talking to Clarise, and she said her cousin was looking for a job. She’s experienced with children, and she’s in a serious relationship.”
“Can you have her send over her résumé?”
“Already did, big bro. Her name is Katie. But you know … you already have someone who Leo loves and can watch him.”
I know where she’s going with this, but I’m not letting her—or me—go there. “She’s too young and inexperienced. Let Clarise know that I’ll be in touch with her cousin.”
Before she can argue any more on Vanessa’s behalf, I hang up, only to be met with Matteo’s knowing gaze.
“Falling for your wife, huh?”
“It’s not like that.”
He snorts out a laugh. “Okay.”
“Is there a reason you came to my office, other than to talk shit?”
“A man needs a reason to visit his best friend?” He smirks.
When I quirk a brow, he laughs. “You’re right. I do have a reason. Dani’s birthday is coming up, and I want to do something special for her. She mentioned your mom had a necklace she loved. Your dad had given it to her …”
“Yeah, it was a heart with our names on it or something. I have it in the lockbox. You want to give that to her?”
“I was hoping to see it so I could have one made that’s similar, but with our daughter’s name on it, leaving room for the next baby.”
I chuckle. “Already planning for the next one?” I joke, only Matteo doesn’t laugh. “Oh shit!” I bark out a laugh. “You totally knocked up my sister, didn’t you?”
“She’s only a few weeks along, so we’re not announcing it yet, but yeah. Mother’s Day isn’t until May, so I figured I could give her the gift for her birthday and then add to it in May when the new baby is here.”
He shrugs like it’s not a big deal, but after everything my sister’s been through, my best friend loving her the way he does is a big fucking deal.
“Congrats, man.” I stand and round the desk to give Matteo a hug. “You’re a damn good husband and father, and this new baby will be blessed to have you as his or her dad.”
“Thanks,” Matteo says.
“I’ll get you the necklace this week.”
“I appreciate it.”
After he leaves, I spend the rest of the afternoon in meetings. And it’s not until my phone goes off, letting me know that someone has entered my condo, that I stop to check the time.
I click into the camera app and find Vanessa rushing down the hallway like her ass is on fire.
She disappears into her room, and I’m about to call her to make sure everything’s okay when I notice a text from Matteo, letting me know she got the job.
But instead of a cocktail server, she’s their new bartender.
I tell myself that what Vanessa does isn’t my business, and I keep repeating that as I finish up the last couple of items on my agenda before I leave to pick up Leo from Dani.
But when the app goes off again and I click into it, seeing Vanessa walking down the hallway toward the elevator—this time dressed in tiny black leather shorts and a matching top that pushes up her ample cleavage, forcing it to damn near spill out—all previous thoughts fly out the window.
Before I can grasp what I’m doing, I’m texting Dani that I’ll be late, and I head toward Hotel Blu.
I tell myself it’s because I’m concerned about Vanessa.
She shouldn’t be putting herself at unnecessary risk.
I’m staying married to her and letting her live in my home so she’s safe. And her getting a job outside of the home is reckless.
But as I walk into the casino located in the basement of the hotel and search for my fake wife, I know that her safety is the least of my concerns.
And as my eyes land on her, standing behind the bar, with her hair pulled into a tight ponytail and her makeup done to perfection, laughing at something some jackass sitting at the bar said, I can no longer deny my true reason for showing up here—I’m attracted to my wife. And I want more than to keep her safe.
And fuck if that doesn’t complicate shit.
“Lorenzo, what are you doing here?” Vanessa asks when I have a seat at the bar.
“Can’t a man visit his wife at work?” I say, making the man next to me do a double take.
“You’re married?” he asks Vanessa. “I don’t see a ring.”
I glance at her finger, which, until now, has been sporting the cheap silver wedding band from the Bahamas.
I considered taking mine off, but I told myself that the only way to keep her safe was to go along with her scheme, and that meant wearing the ring—while hoping it didn’t turn my finger green.
“Yes, she’s married,” I growl. “And before you get any ideas, the only thing she’ll be serving you is a drink.”
“Now, now, husband,” Vanessa says, forcing a smile onto her face, “there’s no need to piss all over me.”
The guy chokes on his laughter, and I glare at her.
“I wouldn’t have to if you wore your ring like a good little wife.”
She glances sheepishly at me. “I didn’t want to risk it cracking a glass.”
“We’ll have to get you one that won’t do that,” I say, making her eyes go wide.
And I don’t blame her. I have no fucking clue what I’m doing right now. It’s like an alien has invaded my body.
“I need to get back to work,” she chokes out. “And I believe you need to get home to your son.”
She turns her back on me and saunters over to the other side of the bar, and my gaze goes to her backside.
The top she’s wearing ties in the back, showing off her shoulders and back, along with every one of her curves.
I knew the shorts were small from the camera in the hallway of my building, but in person, I can make out her ass cheeks, which are peeking out from the bottom, leading to her smooth, toned legs.
“I was in a meeting with my team when I was told by my head of security that a jealous husband was disturbing one of my bartenders,” Dominick says with a smirk as he sits down next to me. “So, imagine my surprise when it turned out to be you.”
“I’m not jealous,” I mutter. “I’m concerned about her safety.”
Dominick shakes his head. “Keep telling yourself that, but you can’t stay here if you’re going to be fucking with our regulars.” He nods toward the asshole who’s practically drooling over Vanessa.
“Maybe if you didn’t have your bartenders dress like they were at a strip club instead of serving drinks at a high-class casino …”
Dominick chuckles. “You approved those outfits.”
Fuck, I did. And of course he would remember that.
Russo Property Group is a major investor in Hotel Blu as well as the underground casino.
It was one of our first projects that didn’t involve our fathers, and we wanted to be hands-on with everything, including the uniforms. I’ve sat at this bar too many times to count and never thought twice about them … until now.
“Look,” Dominick says. “I would never stop you from sitting at the bar you partly own, but if you’re going to cause a scene …”
“I know.” I sigh. “I don’t know what the fuck is happening to me. She’s all wrong for me, yet I can’t stop thinking about her.”
I’m about to stand and leave, knowing I need to get out of here before I do something stupid, like drag her out, when one of the guys leans over and grabs her wrist to stop her from walking away … and all I see is red.
Before I think about what I’m doing, I’m across the bar and shoving the guy off his seat and against the wall.
“Keep your fucking hands off my wife!” I bark.
“Lorenzo!” Vanessa shrieks. “Stop it.”
“No,” I grit out as I tighten my hold on the guy, who looks ready to piss his pants. “You don’t belong here.”
“And you don’t get to make that decision,” she argues. “Now, let go of him and leave.”
My eyes bounce between the guy I’m damn near choking, Vanessa, and Dominick, who’s looking at me like I’ve lost my fucking mind.
And it hits me—I have.
What she does and where she works aren’t my fucking business.
She’s not my fucking business.
But I want her to be.
And that thought is what has me letting go of the guy and stalking out of the casino and hotel and as far away from Vanessa as possible.